After losing an hour yesterday, I didn't get out of bed until 12:00 KL time. The concert I was attending that night had a dress code of no t-shirts, no sport shoes, no slippers (sandals), and no shorts. The ticket seller had assured me that I would probably be fine after I had described to her my wardrobe, but I didn't much fancy going to the symphony in a gray on gray shirt and pants with my dirty flower shoes I had bought in Bangkok. So I was off to Chinatown in search of some fresh formal wear!
Chinatown's in general have a reputation of selling cheap, knock-off clothing and shoes -- which is great for me considering the frequency with which I intended to go out for fancy dinners and events during my travels. But, while cheap by American standards, I found that the vendors peddling their goods in the main walkway of KL's Chinatown were more than prepared to rip you off by local standards. I was eventually able to find nice (still cheaply made) shoes and shirt for half the price I was being offered while in Chinatown just a few streets closer to the old KL district (along Kasturi Walk, if any future readers find themselves in a similar situation).
From Kasturi Walk I crossed over the Klang River and investigated Merdeka square and a nearby textile museum (free admission, why not). Merdeka is the site of the first Malaya (Malaysia's precursor) flag raise after the end of British Colonial rule just under 60 years ago. I most appreciated its open, grassy space -- always a nice reprieve from the concrete jungle of large cities.
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| Looking north at Merdeka Square |
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| I found this mural painted on the side of a bank along Jalan Tun Perak strangely self-mocking |
The performance that night was a lot of fun. I don't think anyone looked twice at my new shoes or dress shirt, but it was still a good time to dress up and go watch a Russian soloist perform an Italian violin concerto (Paganini's 5th) in Malaysia.
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| The Malaysian Philharmonic makes their home at the base of the Petronas Towers |
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The concert hall would later fill up completely with audience members and performers. I paid 90MR for my mid-range ticket ($20), a steal by Seattle Symphony standards.
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